Whoops!

[MomInWA]

I got a whoopsie! I thought I read somewhere you can replace up to 50% of your solid fats with hydrogenated soybean oil to keep costs down while still creating a nice bar of soap. What I did: same recipes I made before, but used hydrog soybean.

TEST BATCH #1 is still soft; I will wait to unmold it and check again tomorrow. TEST BATCH #2...crumbly! Looks like a bar of Crisco - yuck!! Super bummed because it wasn't what I'd hoped for. I will do more test batches (because that's what we do...haha), but in the future I won't use more than maybe 10-25% hydrog soybean. The fourth photo is the correct batch made with loads of shea butter. I'm really much happier with lovely fats like that batch. Come to think of it, maybe it's the Kokum or the Mango. Both are crumbly as a base material. hm

Here is the recipe.
5 oz Jojoba
5 oz Sunflower oil
4 oz Coconut oil
5 oz Castor oil
5 oz Soybean oil (hydrogenated)
4 oz Shea Butter
4 oz Mango Butter
4 oz Kokum Butter
20g Dead Sea salt
8.85 oz Distilled water
4.42 oz NaOH

But can this batch be saved???? LMK...thank you!

 

[artemis]

Did you make your replacement without running it through a calculator?

 

[AliOop]

Have you used Dead Sea Salt in soap before? It isn't recommended due to all the minerals, which cause soap scum and rancidity (DOS). Because it also draws so much moisture from the air, it can make the soap very soft and wet.

 

[MomInWA]

Did you make your replacement without running it through a calculator?

I always run it through soap making friend calculator. I input what ingredients I’d like to use and then check the graph to make sure I like the numbers.

 

[MomInWA]

Have you used Dead Sea Salt in soap before? It isn't recommended due to all the minerals, which cause soap scum and rancidity (DOS). Because it also draws so much moisture from the air, it can make the soap very soft and wet.

No, I haven’t used Dead Sea salt in soap before. Last batches I used pink Himalayan sea salt and those batches were lovely. I used it in salt soaks previously. This bar seems really hard and dry for some reason. That makes sense about the minerals though. Thanks for the input!

 

[MomInWA]

Is it possible to melt the soap down and add more oils or should I just toss it out? I hate to waste the ingredients but that’s life and learning. What are the best salts to use in soaping? Thanks for your responses! I really appreciate it.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

What kind of hydrogenated soybean oil are you using? There are lots of options and the composition varies.

 

[Obsidian]

I'd throw it out, trying to fix it will likely waste more ingredients and time.

I make a lot of salt bars and use canning salt, its cheap and doesn't have additives.
You can use sea salt but it really doesn't add anything to the sea besides label appeal if you are selling.
Himalayan pink isn't recommended, it can be scratchy and even cut the skin.

 

[MomInWA]

What kind of hydrogenated soybean oil are you using? There are lots of options and the composition varies.

Hello! I am using this one from TheSage.com.

(copy/paste from the website)
INCI = Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Saponification Value: 190 mg KOH / g of Fat
Use hydrogenated soy as half of your fats to keep costs down. It is a good filler and makes a very hard white bar when used alone. Solid at room temperature.

 

[MomInWA]

I'd throw it out, trying to fix it will likely waste more ingredients and time.

I make a lot of salt bars and use canning salt, its cheap and doesn't have additives.
You can use sea salt but it really doesn't add anything to the sea besides label appeal if you are selling.
Himalayan pink isn't recommended, it can be scratchy and even cut the skin.

Thank you, that's very helpful! Okay, sensible. I will toss and try again, switching out the salt. I like Himalayan sea salt for soaks, but it seems like it's not right for soaping. Good to know!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Hello! I am using this one from TheSage.com.

(copy/paste from the website)
INCI = Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Saponification Value: 190 mg KOH / g of Fat
Use hydrogenated soy as half of your fats to keep costs down. It is a good filler and makes a very hard white bar when used alone. Solid at room temperature.

I haven’t used that particular product, but I trust the advice of that source. It may be the version of hydrogenated soy that @Shirley-D uses. In any case, it sounds like the salt is at the root of the problem.

 

[MomInWA]

I haven’t used that particular product, but I trust the advice of that source. It may be the version of hydrogenated soy that @Shirley-D uses. In any case, it sounds like the salt is at the root of the problem.

Thank you, I appreciate your input! I agree. I haven't unmolded the first batch as it was too soft yesterday. But I think I will just toss them both and start over.

 

[Shirley-D]

Yup! That's the one I use with great success. So, the problem is probably not the hydrogenated soy oil. I'm looking at the jojoba oil with suspicion. You know it is a wax and can barely be saponified. Plus, it is very expensive. A tablespoon would be enough to give some emollience.

 

[Shirley-D]

You have some expensive ingredients there. Don't toss, wait. Things change over time. You can always toss them out in a few weeks. Set them aside and pick another recipe.

 

[Shirley-D]

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, what SAP value did you use for the hydrogenated soy?
I suggest if you want to use it, go to this forum's lye calculator and put in a custom oil with these numbers:
Sap KOH0.19
Sap NaOH0.135
Iodine50
INS152
Lauric0
Myristic0
Palmitic10
Stearic32
Ricinoleic0
Oleic41
Linoleic9
Linolenic1
Bubbly0
Cleansing0
Condition51
Hardness42
Longevity42
Creamy Lather42

 

[AliOop]

You have some expensive ingredients there. Don't toss, wait. Things change over time. You can always toss them out in a few weeks. Set them aside and pick another recipe.

I would normally recommend that, too, but Dead Sea Salt really is a soap killer. All those minerals cause rancidity, sweating, softness, and (if the soap is used) lots and lots of soap scum. If enough DSS is used, the bars will basically disintegrate into gooey puddles.

 

[MomInWA]

I would normally recommend that, too, but Dead Sea Salt really is a soap killer. All those minerals cause rancidity, sweating, softness, and (if the soap is used) lots and lots of soap scum. If enough DSS is used, the bars will basically disintegrate into gooey puddles.

Thank you, this is so helpful! I threw out the entire batch.

 

[MomInWA]

Yup! That's the one I use with great success. So, the problem is probably not the hydrogenated soy oil. I'm looking at the jojoba oil with suspicion. You know it is a wax and can barely be saponified. Plus, it is very expensive. A tablespoon would be enough to give some emollience.

I had no idea about the jojoba. I was making an attempt to sort of create a partner soap for a body butter of mine that is fabulous. I am starting to understand that what works in BB will react differently in soap. YIKES! Thank you, Shirley D!

 

[MomInWA]

You have some expensive ingredients there. Don't toss, wait. Things change over time. You can always toss them out in a few weeks. Set them aside and pick another recipe.

Oh bummer. I tossed the whole batch already.

 

[MomInWA]

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, what SAP value did you use for the hydrogenated soy?
I suggest if you want to use it, go to this forum's lye calculator and put in a custom oil with these numbers:
Sap KOH0.19
Sap NaOH0.135
Iodine50
INS152
Lauric0
Myristic0
Palmitic10
Stearic32
Ricinoleic0
Oleic41
Linoleic9
Linolenic1
Bubbly0
Cleansing0
Condition51
Hardness42
Longevity42
Creamy Lather42

Wait, what? SAP value? UMMM. Hm. It just says "Soybean, fully hydrogenated (soy wax)". Wow I know so much less than I thought I did! I may just go to the recipe index and back to basics on some tried-and-true recipes. I am so grateful for the input! Thanks again.

Edited to add: I looked it up and OH DUH. Yes, of course I understand what you're saying now. Thank you!